


then there is you

by Shattering_Colors



Category: Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, F/F, i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25574728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shattering_Colors/pseuds/Shattering_Colors
Summary: looking right at me, then there is you: beautiful and free.
Relationships: Jeanne "Tart" d'Arc/Riz Hawkwood
Kudos: 4





	then there is you

Riz fished the phone - the burner Melissa gave her before Riz left on the so-called ‘suicide mission’, the one that was 'inadvisable' - out from the pocket of her suit jacket. It took a frightening amount of effort, given the wound in her abdomen. By the time she had the screen turned on, she was gasping in agony. These words would be her last, she knows that much very well. Her hands shook as she pulled up the keypad. Riz knew the number by heart, as she had memorized it all those years ago in that quaint French town, the one where she met - Tart.

”Riz!” Tart’s voice chirps over the line, cheery and bright, even after all of the hardships she had sufferers through. Riz casts a glance at the body across the alleyway. Lapin, the child-like, eldest sister and head of the gang whose name Riz didn’t even wish to utter, would never hurt Tart or anyone else again.

“Tart,” Riz’s voice broke over the vowel, and the wound stretches painfully with even one word uttered. “Tell me… how is it?”

”Why do you sound pained? Did something happen?” Tart completely ignored her question. In her mind’s eye, Riz watched Tart’s brows furrow in concern that hadn’t yet turned to fear.

”No,” she lied, not even daring to try to hold the wound closed or call for help, “just… out of breath.”

”Oh!” Tart’s voice shifts back to its normal tone, contentedness. “Melissa is narrowing in on Minou’s coordinates. She said she should have them in a few -,” there was a scuffle on the other end and Riz was sure her heart lurched in her chest “- hey, wait!”

”Riz.” Melissa breathed through the word, knowingly. “You can’t do this.” Her command was more hushed than the greeting, though Melissa’s footsteps were retreating from the conference room Tart had been in. “She’ll blame herself.”

”Regardless,” Riz croaked out, no longer bothering to smother her pain for the one she truly adores. Melissa could bare it, even if she didn’t want to.

”You don’t have to die!” Melissa cried out, voice cracking. “We have your location based on your GPS signal from the call. You’ll be okay, Riz. We’ll save you.”

”Don’t. Need to… retribute. Please.”

Melissa knew she wouldn’t be able to fight against Riz, the duo's stubbornness almost caused an entire warehouse to go up in smoke. At least she knew when to back down against the will of Riz whatever-her-last-name-is. “Thank you. For everything, for everyone. You gave us Tart.” Melissa’s footsteps started back up again, likely back to Tart. “We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done, not just in regard to Tart. We’ll miss you, Riz. But more than that, we’ll find you.” ‘And give you a proper burial’, went unsaid but not unspoken. “Here’s Tart back. No, Tart, I didn’t tell her that Eliza missed the target and shot the ceiling, which caused a pipe to break apart and fall to the floor, unharming Eliza but scaring her so much that she ended up shooting the pipe itself and shrieked when the bullet actually hit. Oh.” Melissa chuckled, always happy to embarrass Eliza. “It seems I did.”

The phone was passed and Riz felt her breathing become a more prominent issue. “Tart….”

”I’m right here, Riz. Even though I’m not, y’know,” Tart chuckled nervously, as she always did when saying something so heartfelt, “literally beside you, I’m always there with you in spirit. Always.”

”I know. Thanks.” Riz brushed a clamoring hand along the wound. Too much blood had been lost, even if she wanted to go back, to be with them again.

She didn’t deserve it, she knew that much very clearly. Tart was too good, even if Riz had made the 'right' decision on recruiting her. Part of her still tugged in remorse when she thought about it, in the odd hours where nighttime and early morning mixed together like creamer into her morning coffee. Recruitment, she always ended up deciding upon, was far better than her orders otherwise: dispose of those who knew too much.

They tended to die, Riz's 'recruits'. Typically, in front of her was the preferable way for the universe. The experiences became more and more traumatic until the final straw broke Riz's back: the last girl's twin sister died suddenly. She blamed Riz for it and the two had a spar for their lives until the girl decided to be with her sister, for the rest of eternity.

Riz had sworn off recruiting, after that. Cube, however, baited her and had given her incentive to travel to the small town that was nestled in the hills of France. The rest was history. She was ready and barely willing to pay for what she had done.

Riz zoned into the fervent tapping of a computer's keyboard and Tart murmuring the information she to transcribe to herself. Riz chose to listen for as long as she could, even holding back the wheezing that was becoming far more than a bit of a problem.

"'art." She could almost picture Tart's head popping up like a meerkat's in a cartoonishly endearing manner. "You know I... care about... you, right?" Riz tilted the phone from her ear and coughed violently. She didn't need light or the voice of someone else to inform her that the wetness that coated her lips is a liquid far from favorable by someone who is typically healthy.

"Of course!" Tart's voice sounded like it was far underwater, Riz noted as her eyelids become heavier and heavier with a weight she didn't feel like removing, with each passing moment. "I care about you so much, Riz. You're the most precious person in my life. I don't know what I'd do without you! Come back home safely, Riz."

Riz allowed a tear to shed that she had unknowingly had, brimming in the crinkle of her eye. She made a vow, back before it all started, but after she fled home. A vow that she would never lie when the truth could do. Lying to Tart about dying while she was actively doing the aforementioned action was mentally paining enough, but the physical pain seemed to almost outweigh the breaking of a vow she had made so long ago.

Tart cares about her. Tart would miss her. Tart would grieve for her. Tart wants her safe. She is Tart's most precious person.

"I...." Riz fought against the inklings of darkness curling around her. All she needed is a few seconds, then she could rest. Then she could atone. The smile Riz felt curl into her facial features was anything but forced, for almost the first time in her life.

"I'll see you later, Tart."


End file.
